The Spin | ‘It keeps you young’: England Over-70s bask in glory of Ashes and World Cup wins
Late-age cricket leagues are expanding rapidly, and the England Over-70s team excelled during their winter tour in the southern hemisphere.
“You could compare and contrast if you so desired,”says England Over-70s manager Chris Lowe, offering a straightforward response to a probing question.
“You’re the journalist, so you probably will.”
It would be a professional oversight not to do so. Therefore, let us examine the outcomes experienced by Brendon McCullum’s England team over the winter alongside those of their Over-70s counterparts, whose schedule bore a striking resemblance to that of the younger team.
Both teams began their campaigns in Australia. Ben Stokes’s senior side suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat in the Ashes series, while the Over-70s secured a commanding 3-0 victory in the Silver Ashes, a competition with a notably distinctive name.
Facing pressure to retain his position, McCullum regrouped his senior squad for the T20 World Cup, where England’s journey ended in the semi-final against eventual champions India. Coincidentally, on the same day that Jacob Bethell’s century was insufficient in Mumbai, the Over-70s successfully defended their World Cup title by defeating Australia in the final held in Christchurch, New Zealand.
This triumph concluded a five-week tour for the 16-member Over-70s squad, who played 15 matches and returned with the two most prestigious trophies available.
Significantly, the first three matches were warm-up games against local teams—a strategy that contrasts sharply with the senior England team’s approach, which involved only a single intra-squad match in Australia before losing the opening Ashes Test within two days.
“I’m not going to teach the England senior side anything,”Lowe says diplomatically.
“But we felt it was necessary. It was very good because when we came to play the international games we were ready to fire.”
This can be attributed to the advantage of experience, an attribute the Over-70s possess in abundance.
Lowe’s team represents the elite of a rapidly growing demographic of late-age cricketers. He notes that there are currently 135 teams from 36 counties regularly competing in over-60s and over-70s cricket. The demand is such that a new regional over-65s competition will launch this summer, and there is even a dedicated “Silver Stumps” podcast focusing exclusively on the English veteran cricket scene.
Although supported by the England and Wales Cricket Board, the national over-60s and over-70s teams receive no funding from the governing body. Players on the recent Ashes and World Cup tour each contributed approximately £8,000, depending on their air travel class.
“Dip into your bank balance and explain to your kids that their inheritance might not be as big as it could be,”jokes England Over-70s captain John Evans, who has now led his country to Ashes and World Cup victories twice each.
Like many teammates, Evans was a strong club cricketer in his youth, captaining Frocester for 15 years before advancing to represent Gloucestershire at over-50, over-60, and over-70 levels. The over-70 category marked his first international representation, and as he approaches his 75th birthday this summer, he remains a remarkable figure still competing at the international level.
While there is no upper age limit, Lowe explains that most players find it challenging to maintain the necessary physical fitness beyond age 73.
“You can have a great time, but only for a short time,”he notes.
Players are expected to run a couple of threes per over, even while contending with temperatures reaching 36°C in Australia. Playing regulations mandate that all batters wear helmets, a precaution unfamiliar to many English players whose careers span over six decades.
“There’s always people who say: ‘You can’t do that at this age,’”Lowe remarks.
“But these guys keep themselves very fit. They have got ambition. They are quite extraordinary people in the sense that they keep wanting to do things that people think they shouldn’t be doing.”
Some squad members represented minor counties in their youth, but it is uncommon for former first-class players to continue competing at this age. Lowe suggests that such players
“tend not to enjoy it any more. Generally they’ve had enough in their 50s. I do know one or two, but they are a rarity.”
Physical decline can be a decisive factor.
“Some guys who hit 70 are as fit as they were when they were 60,”Lowe says.
“They can actually float to the top and become international-quality players. It’s a strange thing, some just don’t drop off like others do.”
For those who qualify, the pride in representing their country is as strong as that felt by members of Stokes’s Test team.
“It’s no small achievement to get selected,”Evans states. He recalls being relieved to lose the toss before the Over-70s World Cup final and be sent in to bat. The 183-run opening partnership between Jim Phillips (118) and Chris Evans (79) laid the foundation for England’s 15-run victory.
“I don’t want to just play golf yet,”the captain adds.
“I’ve got a lot of golfing mates, but there’s nothing like playing cricket.
If you’ve been a team player all your life, like I have, there’s nothing like the dressing room and team spirit. I think it keeps you young as well. I have a few aches and pains, but I’m still getting out there and I’d recommend anybody in any sport to keep going as long as you can, because it’s so good for you. It was a tiring tour, but it was fun tiring.”
And notably, there were no nightclub incidents during the tour, though it would be inappropriate to mention that.
Relish the return of the county season
For those who remain invested—though doubts persist about whether Brendon McCullum is among them—the commencement of the English domestic cricket season is a moment to cherish.
While the IPL and PSL are already providing short-form franchise cricket for fans, the absence of England fixtures until June allows the County Championship to take centre stage from this weekend.
Recent developments, coupled with recognition that changes are necessary in Ben Stokes’s team, have elevated the importance of the first six rounds of domestic red-ball cricket more than in recent years, with potential openings in nearly every area of the national squad.
The straightforward metrics of red-ball runs and wickets should theoretically translate into international caps for the first Test of the summer against New Zealand—unless McCullum opts to disregard them once again.
Regardless, it is delightful to have the county game back. Fans are encouraged to visit their local grounds early in the season and spend a few hours escaping the world’s troubles.
Quote of the week
“It is very much now or never”– Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace on having just one season to make an impact at the financially challenged county before cost-saving measures likely dismantle his carefully assembled squad.
Memory lane
3 April 2016: Ten years ago on Friday, Ben Stokes prepared to bowl the final over of the T20 World Cup final, with West Indies needing 19 runs to win. Four consecutive sixes from Carlos Brathwaite ended the match dramatically.
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